Saturday, January 19, 2008

Marine Cpl. Peter Kocsis

A Marine from Bolton who was to leave for his third tour of duty in Iraq in March died unexpectedly in his sleep last weekend at a friend's home in Ventura, Calif.

Marine Corporal Peter Kocsis, formerly of Bolton and Cheshire, was 30 years old. He died of unknown causes on Jan. 19, 2008.

Family members said that in his last email, Kocsis said he wasn't feeling well and that he had planned to lie down.

Kocsis was born July 28, 1977, in Royal Oak, Mich. He graduated from Cheshire High School in 1995 and worked primarily in construction prior to his enlistment at age 26 Family members vividly recalled Kocsis's passion for the Marine Corps.

Susan Boisoneau of Bolton, his mother, said he was scheduled to return to Iraq in March and was planning to enlist for another four years.

"He grew tremendously through the Marines. He loved the Marines so much," she said.

"He had made a commitment to stay with his brothers and re-enlist. He was hoping the hostilities would settle down. He was looking forward to training and advancing and helping train young Marines," Jeffery Kocsis said.

Kocsis served his first tour of duty in Fallujah from March to October 2006. He served part of his second tour in the al-Anbar province from March to November 2007. For both tours he was a special operations combat engineer.

"That operation was very successful," Jeffery Kocsis said. "They were really embraced by the community," he said. "He really had stories of the good we're doing over there," Boisoneau said.

"I'm proud of him not only for protecting his fellow Marines, but also for saving a lot of Iraqi lives," Jeffery Kocsis said.

"It's the little things," Jeffery Kocsis recalled. "I remember on one tour, almost every week, I'd send him a package with little goodies in it. He sent me an e-mail saying he appreciated it, but he felt a little bad because one of his friends had no parents and never received any packages."

Jeffery Kocsis sent his son's friend a package as well the next week.

"Here he is in combat, but he's thinking about the sensitivity of his fellow Marines," he said.

Kocsis's stepfather, Dr. Gil Boison-eau, a dentist, said the Marine Corps' impact on Kocsis was incredible.

"He was just a floundering kid, and he found his way through the Marines," Boisoneau said.

"When he came out of basic training, the first thing he did was open the door for his mother and he told her he loved her," he said.

As to his personal life, Kocsis loved and sought out adventure.

"He liked the dangerous things," Susan Boisoneau said. She said her son enjoyed snowboarding, skateboarding, hiking, and camping.

"He was very good at not getting hurt," she said.

The cause of Kocsis's death is unknown at this time. Jeffery Kocsis said officials would be looking for evidence of an unknown medical condition his son might have had."After two tours and combat, this is just very tragic," he added.

"I think he's happy," Susan Boisoneau said. "We just have to deal with it here on earth."

A wake for Kocsis will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 25, at the John F. Tierney Funeral Home, 219 W. Center St., Manchester.

Funeral services will take place at 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home, followed by burial with military honors in Bolton Center Cemetery.